Devlin pays tribute to Harte’s influence in Louth's All-Ireland SFC journey
Gavin Devlin speaks on his relationship with mentor Mickey Harte
Louth GAA senior football manager, Gavin Devlin, admits Mickey Harte’s decision to take charge of the Wee County in November 2020 caught him completely by surprise.
After more than a decade together with Tyrone, Devlin expected time away from inter-county football. Instead, Harte’s next challenge brought both men to a county searching for a new start.
Devlin said, “I had ten years with him side by side in Tyrone, previous to that, and the truth must be told, just the way it ended, and it was COVID time.
“I wouldn't have minded taking a year or two out and just finding myself again. But the fact that he'd come so quick and yeah, it just happened all of a sudden.”
The bond between the pair meant the decision was straightforward.
“No, look, when he decided he was coming, it was very quickly that I was going with him. Like, I knew that, like, we were two separate entities.
“Mickey was the manager, and I'd done the coaching, and Mickey doesn't jump at everyone, so I knew that for him to go to Louth, I had to go with him. And so, yeah, it was a quick decision, really. I didn't think about it for too long.”
Standards
The foundations put in place during Harte’s time in Louth remain a huge part of what Devlin is trying to continue.
“Mickey has a beautiful way with him and the way he does things, and he brings the group together, and he brought that real togetherness.
“I knew that we could make gains in the actual technical end of the thing and the detail, from what they were doing to what we could do differently.”
Their connection goes much deeper than football.
“I knew Mickey; I was aware of Mickey when I was 15 and 16 because I felt I should have been in the minor team back then and I wasn't on it and he didn't pick me.
“There was this angst, and then my last year he did pick me, and in 1998 we won the All-Ireland and won two under-21s after that and then two seniors.
“He's a very, very principled man. He's very, very loyal. If he says something, he carries it out. There's principles that everyone should try and live their lives by.”
Influence
Although their careers have taken different paths, Devlin says Harte’s impact remains with him.
“He's opened so many doors for me from a very young age, and he's like a father figure to me, and he means a lot. When I'm not in his company and I'm driving up the road, he's with me every day.”